Question

Select the group which shares maximum number of common characters.

• A. Two individuals of a species
• B. Two species of a genus
• C. Two genera of a family
• D. Two genera of two families

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Two individuals of a species

Species is a difficult word to define and different workers in the field of taxonomy and systematics have provided different definitions at different times. The most widely accepted concept of species is the biological species concept. According to this concept, members of a species can freely interbreed and produce fertile offsprings while members of different species are reproductively isolated and cannot produce fertile offsprings. This concept does not apply to organisms that predominantly reproduce asexually. According to the morphological criteria, a member of same species show similar body plan architecture and have a number of similar characters which are not expected in members of other species. The morphological character of species is the most simple and easy to understand. Species is the smallest unit in the taxonomical hierarchy and denotes a group of organisms with a maximum number of common characters.

Therefore, the correct answer is option A.